Hunter Brown injury update may save Astros from looming disaster

The ship is taking on water for the Houston Astros. Injuries have decimated the thinning depth the Astros were already dealing with, the pitching staff has been a disaster, and speculation over Joe Espada's job status has been on the rise. Losing Carlos Correa for the entire season was the latest blow for Houston, but there's surprisingly a tiny sliver of hope available to them.

The American League West is bad. The Athletics are on top of the division with a .500 record, and for all that has gone wrong for the Astros, they haven't lost much ground. The Astros enter the day less than five games behind the Seattle Mariners, and if they squint, they may see a clear path toward climbing back into the race.

Solving their pitching woes will be the key to the Astros turning their season around. Tatsuya Imai, for better or worse, is returning to the big-league club next week, and Josh Hader shouldn't be far behind. Hader's return will certainly stabilize the Astros' bullpen, and if he can figure things out, Imai's return could be equally as important.

Hunter Brown's return could save the Astros' season

More than Imai and Hader, the return of Hunter Brown could truly be the crutch that keeps the Astros' season afloat. Brown has resumed his throwing program in recent weeks and could have a bullpen session as early as this upcoming weekend. Brown will likely have several throwing sessions before the Astros consider a minor-league rehab assignment, but with the update this week, he's on track to return to the rotation by the middle of June.

Staying contention appears to be the only thing that is keeping Jim Crane from making drastic changes. The moment Houston's early-season woes feel insurmountable, that is when changes should be expected.

A healthy Brown could be how the Astros avoid that fate. Brown is a Cy Young candidate when healthy, and the type of pitcher who could mask the other question marks surrounding the Astros. It's still a leap to suggest the Astros will be in contention by the time Brown is ready to return, but it's the last thing they may have to hold onto.

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